Guests sipped on a delicious aperitif-style cocktail on arrival made with the Amber expression, creme de gingembre, homemade vanilla syrup, grapefruit bitters and lime topped with soda and crushed ice, a drink that highlighted the citrus character of the whisky.

The Macallan Amber Cocktail

Set against a magnificent backdrop of the harbour below, Cheryl Tang, Brand Manager welcomed guests before Andrew Derbidge, Director and Cellarmaster of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society introduced each of the three expressions.

Staying with the current trend, The Macallan 1824 Series bears no age statement. The focus is on the natural flavour and the casks that impart the colour and flavour to the whisky. Incidentally, the whiskies are named after metals associated with the colours.

The Amber expression (40% ABV) is aged in a combination of refill American oak, refill Spanish oak, first fill American oak and first fill Spanish oak. On the nose, it has light citrus, vanilla, sweet malted barley and is not high on spice and dried fruit. On the palate it is soft, creamy and sweet with a hint of spice, vanilla flavours, strong on vanilla with a short sweet finish. The Macallan Amber makes a good introduction to the range and lends itself to cocktails and a novice palate.

Andrew Derbidge, SMWS

Sienna (43% ABV) is darker and richer in colour with subtle vanilla, orange citrus, more prominent sherry spice, dried fruit, vanilla raisins and ginger with an elegant and warming oak finish. This is arguably the best choice in the series.

Rich dried fruit, treacle and oak are evident on the nose with the Ruby (43% ABV) expression, matured exclusively in sherry oak casks from Jerez in Spain. With Christmas cake and rich, dried fruits on the palate, there is a hint of sweetness mid palate which ends in a long, dry and oaky finish – a dram to sip with some of the finest dark chocolate.

The Macallan Ruby

Head Chef Matthew McCool from Altitude Restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel created canapés to match the flavours and aromas of each expression. Citrus Cured Salmon with Pickled Ginger and Stuffed Wagyu Bresaola with Apple were paired with Amber, Duck Breast with Coconut and Pork Belly, Abalone and Lemon Curd were paired with Sienna and Seared Venison, Roasted Beetroot and Chocolate, and Lamb Loin, Celeriac were paired with Ruby. Whisky-scented dark chocolate truffle infused with The Macallan Ruby was served for dessert.

The Macallan Ice Ball Machine

To finish, guests sipped on their favourite expression of The Macallan’s signature serve made using The Macallan Ice Ball Machine. The gadget uses the weight and ambient heat of its metal construction to melt large ice cubes into a perfect sphere, which slows down the melting process of the ice.

The Macallan 1824 Series will be available from November 2013 at these recommended retail prices: Amber, $105, Sienna, $160 and Ruby $220.

The Macallan 1824 Series was launched at Blu Bar on 36 on Monday 28 October, 2013.

The Macallan 1824 Series: Amber, Sienna and Ruby was last modified: December 20th, 2015 by Corinne Mossati

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Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is the Founder/Editor of popular online magazine Gourmantic and Cocktails & Bars, a website dedicated to cocktail culture and the discerning drinker. She is named in Australian Bartender Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential List, is a member of The Academy responsible for judging the World’s 50 Best Bars. She has also judged the inaugural Australasian Whisky Awards and various national cocktail competitions.